Secrets of the Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur

If you recall my post on Amer fort, I mentioned spotting another fort – the Jaigarh Fort, from the main palace. You may also, recall that one of the incomplete things of my tour of Amber Fort was the fact that I could not explore the secret passage that connected it to Jaigarh Fort. That however, does not mean that I did not see Jaigarh Fort. 🙂

Jaigarh Fort as seen from Amer Fort
Jaigarh Fort as seen from Amer Fort

My story starts with our exit of Amer Fort, from where we headed up to the Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles) to visit the most strategic of Jaipur Forts – the Jaigarh Fort. This fort was made in the 1700s by Maharaja Jai Singh II – as a fort to protect the main Amer palace and the town below it. Later, during the times of Emperor Shah Jahan, this fort functioned as a cannon foundry. Compared to the Amer Fort, this fort is quite basic. It has none of the ostentatious buildings of Amer Fort but is more strategic. The Fort was closed to the public until a few years ago and hence, not much is explored.

It has its own share of interesting locations and tales – from narrow, winding passages to lost treasures, all waiting to be discovered. Almost every nook and corner of this fort felt like a secret and I am sharing these secrets through my 10 highlights of Jaigarh Fort.

1) The unending walls of Jaigarh Fort

Red walls of Jaigarh Fort
Red walls of Jaigarh Fort

The one thing that you can see from anywhere in Amer, are the huge red walls of Jaigarh Fort. Mind you, I had not yet seen Kumbhalgarh Fort and hence, with no comparison in mind, these walls seemed endless. We were told by the guard that they were just 3 kms long, but they sure seemed more. The bright red color distinguished them from what we saw at Amer fort. I personally, loved exploring the turrets, climbing up the small open stairs to see what was below and basically, just walking along the perimeter of the fort.

Walls of Jaigarh Fort
Walls of Jaigarh Fort
Red walls of Jaigarh Fort
Red walls of Jaigarh Fort

2) Jaivana – World’s largest cannon on wheels

Jaivana - The world's largest Cannon on wheels at Jaigarh Fort
Jaivana – The world’s largest Cannon on wheels at Jaigarh Fort

The one thing that you read about Jaigarh Fort is that it is home to the World’s largest Cannon on Wheels. Known as Jaivana, this was built in the cannon foundry at the Fort itself. I don’t think my photos do any justice to the huge size of this cannon.

Now, here is the funny part – as huge as this thing was, it was never used in a battle! The only time it was fired was for a test, when the cannon ball traveled 35 kms. WOAH!

3) The Mysterious water tank at Jaigarh Fort

Water Tank at Jaigarh Fort
Water Tank at Jaigarh Fort

Please note the use of the adjective – Mysterious. At the first glimpse, this huge water tank seems quite ordinary. Ok – so it was huge, it has a rainwater harvesting facility, could store up to 6 million gallons of water, had three levels, but then, so what? I chose this particular adjective – Mysterious, for the story associated with it.  This story is one of the main reasons why this fort was not opened to the public until a few years back.

It is rumored that the Kachwaha dynasty used it to store its treasures! They say that there were chambers below the tank where the loot from a successful siege by Maharaja Man Singh was hidden.

The steps leading to the underground levels of the tank at Jaigarh Fort
The steps leading to the underground levels of the tank at Jaigarh Fort

The rumor was so strong that in 1977, during the emergency declared by the Former Prime Minister of India – Indira Gandhi, a raid was organized to find it. The Maharani at that time – Gayatri Devi had objected to it. However, the same were overruled by her arch rival Indira Gandhi and in fact, army troops were sent to the fort to recover the treasure. After days of search (some say 3 months), nothing was found and the search was called off. During the retreat of the troops, for three days, the Delhi – Jaipur Highway was closed.

Some say that there were military trucks plying between the fort and the PM’s residence in Delhi and a question was raised on whether the same carried the treasure straight to the PM’s house. However, there is no answer to that. Whether there was a treasure, or none or was it recovered – no one knows. The story of the water tank remains an unsolved mystery.

4) Laxmi Vilas

War Drums at Subhat Niwas , Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur
War Drums at Subhat Niwas , Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur

Once you are done with the water tank, you can head straight to the small palace area. The first thing that you encounter is a huge parade ground called Subhat Niwas. This is where the army used to gather. Here you can view these huge War drums.

Laxmi Vilas at Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur
Laxmi Vilas at Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur

From here, you move further to the royal drawing-room of the King or the Laxmi Vilas. The pleasant wall paintings and the nice flooring make it obvious that this was an area for important meetings and relaxation. You cannot really enter any of the rooms, but from the outside, they do seem royal enough.

5) Lalit Mandir

This was the summer palace of the King at Jaigarh Fort. Though it has one higher floor, you can only browse through the ground floor. They say that the royal bedrooms were on the higher floor.

On the ground floor, there is a small theatre area which served as a royal entertainment area for music and drama. This is where you are now treated to a puppet show. You can even buy some of these puppets as a memorabilia.

Puppets on sale at Lalit Mandir, Jaigarh Fort
Puppets on sale at Lalit Mandir, Jaigarh Fort
Recreated dining room at Jaigarh Fort
Recreated dining room at Jaigarh Fort

You will also, find some recreated scenes of how the dining and kitchen areas looked back then. There are separate ones for men and women. You cannot unfortunately, walk through these rooms and have to make do by viewing them through the holes of  a grill and glass windows.

6) Vilas Mandir

Me at the Vilas Mandir, Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur
Me at the Vilas Mandir, Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur

This is the Zenana or the ladies area with lattice windows and jharokas. I have to say, this was literally – the coolest area of the fort. There was so much wind blowing through these windows that made the passages and the halls here so pleasant. Through these windows, you could see the entire Amer Fort. Though this area was not as well lit as the the rest of the fort, the place was just unusually beautiful. I guess, it was the artistic presence of the lattice windows.

7) Aaram Bagh

Aaram Bagh at Jaigarh Fort, Jaipir
Aaram Bagh at Jaigarh Fort, Jaipir

The beautiful green gardens of the Jaigarh Fort were a perfect place for Aaram or rest. I was captivated with the lovely garden and their low walls, high arch gateways and spectacular views. I can quite imagine how the Royal family strolled around this garden in the evenings. Maybe the Queen even sat on those high arched gateways to view the world below.

Aaram Bagh at Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur
Aaram Bagh at Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur

8) Labyrinth of passages at Jaigarh Fort

Jaigarh Fort is full of subterranean and ground level passages. Some like my incomplete quest leading from Amer Fort to Jaigarh Fort. The others are within the Jaigarh Fort itself. The passages from one palace section to another itself, are winding and narrow. I am guessing this was to slow down the enemy. For me, it appealed to my Indiana Jones’ side. 😀

9) The Museum and Foundry

There is a small museum of war instruments and weapons. I personally, do not have a thing for armaments and hence, breezed through the same. However, there were a few unusual ones that did capture the attention of a non-arms enthusiast like me. Photography is not permitted here and hence, I have none to show you.

The foundry is another story all together. Here you can see the unfinished cannons and cannon balls. They say that the foundry was such that it sucked in the mountain air to help reach high temperatures that would melt the metal for the cannons. Goes to show the advancement in technology back in those days.

10) The stunning views from Jaigarh fort

View of Sagar Lake, Jaigarh Fort
View of Sagar Lake, Jaigarh Fort

This maybe the last highlight, but the most important one for me. This is the one I will always remember Jaigarh Fort fort. No matter where you look from, you get some spectacular views of the valley below. Like this one, where you see the Sagar lake.

Sagar Lake from Jaigarh Fort
Sagar Lake from Jaigarh Fort

Or this one from the Aram Bagh where you can see the rest of Amer town, along with their various temples. Can you spot the spires of a Jain temple?

Amer Town from Jaigarh Fort
Amer Town from Jaigarh Fort

Or of the Amer Fort from the Vilas Mandir side.

View of Amer Fort from Jaigarh Fort
View of Amer Fort from Jaigarh Fort

These views make you realize how perfectly positioned was the Jaigarh fort – a name that literally translates to “Victory Fort”. I think Jai Singh II was indeed a smart one to have built this.

I personally, loved getting lost in the narrow passages and then finding my way out to some spectacular views of the world around. For me, this fort is all about secrets – be it the passages, the spectacular views, the strategic focus or the mysterious water tank. More so, as I did not know much about the fort till I visited it. I sure would include it under one of the things to do in Jaipur. What do you think? Do you concur? Or do you have a different view?

Jaigarh Fort

Getting here:

  • On how to reach Jaipur, you can check up my earlier post. Jaigarh Fort is around 15kms from Jaipur.
  • Jaigarh Fort is around 7 kms from Amer Fort. However, to reach here, you need to hire a private vehicle or take one of the local buses.

Travel Tips:

  • Jaigarh Fort is open between 9am to 5 pm. The ticket prices for the same are INR 35 for an Indian and INR 85 for a foreigner.
  • Camera charges are separate. The guards are quite strict about these charges and keep checking on the camera tags.
  • There is loads of walking to be done. Hence, flat shoes and comfortable cotton clothes are recommended.
  • The fort has a museum shop as well as a cafeteria. There are rest rooms too, at the entrance of the fort.
  • Be careful when walking along the walls. Some of those steps are falling away and hence, exercise caution when around them.
  • The passages within the palace are quite winding and confusing. The place is not as crowded as the Amer Fort and you will find quite a few secluded spots. Hence, try to not get lost and remember to keep to the main areas. If you have kids with you, remember to keep a hold on them.
  • It is a good idea to combine this with your visit to Amer fort.
top-indivine-post
Show some love and share the post

95 thoughts on “Secrets of the Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur”

  1. Yet another great post on a historic fort. I must make another trip to Jaipur to see all the things I had missed out. I always thought that two days are enough to see a place but your travelogues have made me rethink the number of days one needs to see places.

    Reply
    • Ha ha, I was there for three days and I felt as if it were not enough 🙂 Jaipur or for that matter Rajasthan, does need a lot of time.

      Reply
  2. The stories of the mysterious water tank and foundry, along with the stunning views from Jaigarh fort are good enough reasons for me to make a visit to this fort 🙂

    Reply
  3. Such a detailed post! Mysterious place, awesome clicks – just the right amount of info. 😀
    Sad a lot of people dont even know about the place

    Reply
  4. I am so intrigued by the palaces of Rajasthan. But I often wonder what did the common people live like? There are so many lavish palaces for kings, but did the common people like in mud huts which are no longer standing? I wonder…

    Reply
    • Interestingly there are few of these small huts and homes standing at the outskirts of Jaisalmer. They weren’t really mud, but more red stone.

      Reply
  5. Great Article. Detailed information and nice photography. I had been to the Amer Fort twice and Jaigarh 1 time. Those are amazing forts!!

    Reply
  6. Wonderful post Ami! beautiful pictures and loads of information. We are planning a Rajasthan trip this September (Jaipur and Udaipur). we want to cover Jaigarh fort , Amer fort and Jal Mahal in a day. Hope we would have sufficient time to cover both of them. I have got a few queries for you :
    1. What is the timing of the puppet show at Lalit Mandir?
    2. Is the restroom near Jaigarh fort usable (clean)? (This is a concern for us when traveling with our toddler). Are there similar facilities available at amer fort?
    3. What about food facilities around? Would it be better to carry our own?
    We are panning a full day excursion to these two stunning forts, so, need to be prepared 😀
    By the way, when we narrate our stories upon returning…we owe you a special mention…your recent Jaipur posts have been super informative for us.

    Reply
    • Thanks Neha. Amer Fort, Jaigarh and even Nahargarh can be done in a day. Jal Mahal is just enroute to the all these forts. You can just stop by to take a few pics when heading here. Time honestly, will never be enough 😀 My recommendation is to start with the biggest fort – Amer Fort. To answer your queries –
      1) The puppet show at Lalit Mandir is constantly on. There is no set timing and the guy just keeps at it after every 15 minutes.
      2) Rest rooms are so-so. All the forts have rest room facilities. Though you may have to walk around to find them as the forts are huge. If you are traveling with the toddler, be prepared for the long walks. In terms of the rest room, they are just basic.
      3) Food at Amer Fort is easily available. Plenty of restaurants. Jaigarh has one small one. It is advisable to carry some snacks, given that you have a kid with you. For the main meals, you can even head to Amer town as there are quite a few restaurants here.

      Do mail me if you need any more information. Happy to help

      Reply
      • Thanks a lot Ami! It’s absolutely helpful. I am sure I will have further queries as this is our longest trip so far with the toddler and also the one that requires lots of walking around 🙂

        Reply
    • Thank you so much. Would love to know more about this fort as it was an enigma for me. I will definitely take you up on this offer the next time I am in Jaipur

      Reply
  7. Amazing architecture. I love the reddish color of rocks that was used to be forts in India. Hope to visit it next time I’m in India! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Wow, those red walls are just incredible – they really make the long corridors of the fort look like something magical or out of a disney movie. I loved the view from the fort – Sagar Lake looks extremely peaceful and a wonderful place just to look out upon.

    Reply
  9. Very interesting architecture! The story of the mysterious water tank is intriguing! That Lalit Mandir reminds me of the awesome Rajasthani restaurants I’ve been to. That’s making me hungry right now!

    Reply
  10. What beautiful pictures!!! I love such ancient Forts that are loded with history and so rich in culture! Would love to visit Jaigarh Fort one day. Loved your post! 😉

    Reply
  11. Jaigarh Fort… more famous for the secret operation that took place there to unearth treasure. 😀
    The Fort does look mighty till this date! I have fond memories of my visit there, all rekindled by your post.

    Reply
  12. Those views are insane!!! I was in Jaipur back in September and although my visit was quite short, it’s firmly placed as one of my favourite places I’ve ever been! I really need to go back and see everything I missed, including both Jaigarh and Amer Fort. The way you’ve written this post is fantastic, I couldn’t stop reading!

    Reply
  13. Reading your posts always makes me want to go to India more and more! I wonder why that huge cannon was never used? I would love to see those amazing endless red walls. And I love buying souvenirs, so I’m sure I’d want to buy one of those puppets too!

    Reply
    • The cannon possibly, was never required after it was made. But now I also, wonder why. 🙂 The puppets are definitely a lovely memorabilia of your travels here. Hope you get here soon.

      Reply
  14. this place is beautiful and the views are out of this world. I wish the fort was maintained better for tourists though. Alot of countries have the most beautiful sights but cannot maintain it. I mean just look at the gorgeous view!!!!! It does not look like its overly riddled with tourists which makes it better for me

    Reply
    • Thank you. I think the fort is fairly well maintained . It is not as popular as its other counterpart, simply because it was closed for a long time. However, that also, makes it easier to wander around as it is not crowded. 🙂

      Reply
  15. Thanks Ami for making my memories refresh, I’ve a similar kind of photo’s collection from almost same angle ;). But I love the old one when at the younger age of 6 or 7 I was standing in front of Jaiban.

    Reply
  16. Wow..such a great description…We took a ride to Jaipur by bike and visited Amer fort…I could deeply understand that glorious feeling you get on looking that marvelous fort..How ever due to time constraints we could not able to visit Jaigarh fort and i regret it now after reading this article…I just imagined how these places looked like in past and it gave me goosebumps.

    Reply
    • Amer fort is amazing and huge and I can quite understand why you did not have time for Jaigarh fort. I hope you get to go there next time. Thanks for stopping by Chandra

      Reply
  17. Funnily enough, I’ve always associated forts with prison cells, weapon rooms and such. It’s so cool to know that there are a lot more to it than that. 🙂 Interesting to know about the world’s largest cannon being stored here and not been used in battle. Guess there was no need for it during the time that the fort was still being used.

    Reply
    • The forts in India were often used as residences as well. Though this one seems to be more of a protector fort. You should visit these in India. They are truly something else and yes, bonus is that you can see the cannon. Thanks Marvi.

      Reply
    • You should head to the longest wall of India – Kumbhalgarh fort. Those are some walls you will love to walk along. Not too far from Jaipur – maybe around 8 hours but a lovely place indeed. Thanks Sherianne for stopping by

      Reply
  18. I am glad you still explored Jaigarh Fort, though the secret passage does sound intriguing. That is a massive cannon! Seems like a feat just to move it around. The mystery of the water tank is neat, I love it when a historic building has great stories like that.

    Reply
    • There are plenty more stories around here. You should most definitely visit to find those out. Hope you do so soon. Thanks for stopping by Chris.

      Reply
  19. Rajasthan is so amazing because of all these elegant forts and palaces and historical royal places that you can find here. I have not heard of Jaigarh Fort but it looks quite stunning with its really long, brick red walls. The view of the lake from the fort is breathtaking! Also the fort’s gardens or Araam bagh as well as vilas mandir are stunning!

    Reply
    • This is just over the Amer fort – seems more like the protector fort. You should visit this place. Quite nice. Thanks for stopping by Medha.

      Reply
  20. Wow! I had no idea this fort existed. I was in Jaipur last year, and of course we toured Amer fort only. This is a really interesting post and the views are absolutely spectacular! Great pictures – and yet another reason to go back to India!

    Reply
    • ouch, you missed it by meters. I am sure you saw another fort above the Amer fort when you were there. That is Jaigarh Fort. Well, like you said, another reason to get here. 😀

      Reply
  21. Jaipur is one of my favourite cities as it is filled with so many forts and stories. i have been visiting Jaigarh Fort since I could barely crawl and every time i have gone there i have discovered a new thing about the place. it’s a great vantage point for photography too, especially the Sagar Lake view.

    Reply
  22. Jaigairh fort looks incredible, I’m obsessed with the pink toned walls and buildings in Jaipur – having never been myself, these remind me a lot of the colours of buildings we saw in Marrakech. I’m actually quite captivated by the Aaram Bagh, the gardens look so tranquil and so beautiful manicured and maintained, I’d love to take a stroll too.

    Reply
  23. I didn’t know Jaigarh fort has so many hidden secrets! Quite liked the water tank story. I must say our kings and rulers were quite intelligent to build something like this. 🙂
    I also didn’t know it has the world’s largest canon on wheels.
    Thanks for enlightening me about this fort.

    And I’m also waiting to explore that secret passage between the forts. 🙂

    Reply
  24. This sounds like a fascinating place! Secret passageways, mysterious water tanks, hidden treasure… I love the history here! And then the gardens and those views! I would love to cme and explore the beauties and mysteries of Jaigarh Fort.

    Reply
  25. Jaigarh Fort is indeed a treasure and unique in its own right. It does get overshadowed against the Amer Fort and in fact I guess many visitors visit Amer Fort and return.without visiting Jaigarh fort. Though Jaigarh fort has so many wonders, what always intrigues me is the subterranean passage that connects the Amer fort to Jaigarh fort. What a wonderful defense cum exit mechanism,

    Reply
  26. It is a wonderful Fort.
    When I visited I was told of a short passage to Amer Fort. I ventured through an uncommon open passage from Jaigargh Fort to Amer Fort on my Maruti 800.
    Although a very short passage but very scary and daring, having loose uneven patches with slippery descent and deep slopes on one side.
    A foolish decision.
    We were fortunate enough to reach Amer Fort without any untoward incident .
    Good for trekking and off road vehicles but would not recommend for normal cars. Big NO in rainy season.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Ami Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.